Fluorescent Souls
by Scottsman95
Summary: Hikaru Sato arrives at Lordran High School, and his life almost instantly spikes in difficulty. - A Dark Souls AU that takes place in a high school in Japan. Inspired by a post on Tumblr by user gymnopaedy. Rated M for language, though T level violence is common.
1. Chapter 1

Authors notes: This fic was inspired by a post on tumblr, which I sadly can not provide a link to, as will not allow it. If anyone knows a way I could supply it, please inform me and I will do so immediately.

**8:00 AM, April 5th**

Hikaru Sato was excited for his first day in high school. He was glad to be rid of middle school, an experience about as pleasant as an extended stay in an asylum run by demons, and was well on his way to adulthood. He had taken the Raven line all the way to Firelink Plaza, and was ready to begin his adventures at Lordran High School.

He had a good feeling about this.

**Fluorescent Souls**

**Chapter 1**

**8:30 AM, Homeroom**

After Hikaru had found himself a nice seat by the window, a tired looking man, most likely somewhere in his thirties, came in. He wore tan pants and a faded orange sweater vest over a white shirt, and a pair of glasses that looked like they had seen better days. "Alright students, settle down. Welcome to class 1-A. My name is Mr. Soapstone; I'll be your homeroom teacher for the coming year." He stared off into space for what seemed like a solid minute unti a student cleared their throat. "Huh? Oh right, sorry. Got lost in my thoughts. Anyway, there will be an assembly shortly, where more school guidelines will be covered. I want to use this time to cover class rules…" His attention started to drift again, and I think I saw him absentmindedly sketch something on the board without looking. Finally, the same student as last time got his attention. "Oh right, yes. First off, I would like you all to meet Oswald Velkan, your Class Representative." A pale student with angular features stood up and bowed, before seating himself again. "He will be your liaison between the student body and the administration, so please feel free to talk to him if you have anything you need to ask about." Oswald let out a light chuckle, but remained silent. "Right, let's see. Oh right! No talking while I'm speaking, remain in your seats until dismissed or told to do otherwise, and please don't do anything illegal while I'm in a position to be labeled a witness." He adjusted his glasses. "There's probably more, but that should mostly be covered at the assembly." The rested of the period was uneventful, and was over quickly to make time for the assembly.

**9:00 AM, Auditorium**

Hikaru had heard a few students chuckling about the school having the "breast principal ever" a couple times that day, and had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

The moment the principal took her place at the podium, he understood perfectly.

After managing to reel his mind back in and get your blood flowing to his head instead of… elsewhere… he was able to actually get a good look at her. Despite, or perhaps even because of, her… impressive figure… the woman carried herself with an undeniable elegance. Her long brown hair was swept neatly behind her back, and her smile seemed to light up the whole school. She filled him with an undeniable sense of meaning, and looking around, she seemed to have this effect on all the new students, and even a few of the veterans. "I welcome you, students of Lordran High School. Though your journey has been hard, I know that you will achieve greatness. Go forth, and achieve greatness." The audience burst into immediate applause. Truly, this woman was the embodiment of hope. The rest of the assembly seemed dull and colorless in comparison, and quickly faded from memory.

**12:20 PM, Lunch**

"I said; give me your money, you little shit!" Hikaru had been on his way to relax peacefully on the roof to enjoy his lunch, when some kid who was built like a bull cornered him in the stairwell. "It really isn't that complex, kid. Give me your cash, or I turn you into an ugly smear on the wall."

Hikaru raised his hands in defense. "Look, I don't want any trouble, okay? You just let me go, and I won't even mention this to anyone. C'mon, I'm not looking for a fight."

"Well, tough shit, you found one anyway. Last warning, cash or life, which one are you gonna hold onto?" The kid was already rolling up his sleeves, and Hikaru could see a tattoo of a bull on the guy's arm.

"C'mon, just let me be!"

The kid, who Hikaru had this point mentally labeled Bull, pulled back his fist. "I told you, punk, that just ain't an option!" Bull aimed for Hikaru's face and threw a punch with all his might…

And hit the wall.

Hikaru didn't really talk about it, but he had some practice at unarmed combat, and had dodged to the side the moment he saw Bull's fist start moving. Looking for any advantage he could get, he quickly darted up the stairs. Meanwhile, Bull had recovered from his surprise. "You little shit!" Bull roared, "I'll make you pay for that! There ain't gonna be enough of you left to bury!" Seeing Hikaru at the next landing up the stairs, Bull charged after him.

This was a huge mistake.

Grabbing onto the railing for stability, Hikaru kicked Bull right in the chest and sent him tumbling down the stairs. After he finally stopped falling, Hikaru went to check on him. It looked like Bull would be alright, though he wasn't gonna be fighting any time soon. Sure of Bull's safety, he propped him up against a corner where somebody could find him and went upstairs. Halfway to the roof, he found an orange sticky note. Written on it, as what he recognized as Mr. Soapstone's handwriting, were three words: _Beware of Thug._ All Hikaru could muster was a light chuckle, and he left it right where it was.

Hikaru, determined to eat his lunch in peace despite his fight with Bull, made his way to the roof. He figured the fresh air and quiet would do him good. He opened the door at the top of the stairs-

"Ah, hello there! I don't see to many people up here. Come, have a seat." Resting on the floor, completely shirtless, was a muscular student who appeared to be tanning. His shirt and jacket were on the floor nearby, and Hikaru saw a sun embroidered onto the jacket's back. The student himself wore a pair of sunglasses and a grey baseball cap. "My name is Solaire. I spend most of my lunches bathing in the glory of the sun. And you are?"

Hikaru took a moment to respond, still reeling from the shear surrealism of the situation. "Uh… Hikaru. Hikaru Sato. Nice to meet you Solaire." What the hell was with this guy?

Solaire got up to shake Hikaru's hand. "The pleasure is all mine. Say, are you alright? You seem out of breath."

"Huh? Oh, had a run in with this thug in the stairwell. You know the guy? Had a tattoo of a bull on his arm."

"Ah yes, I think I know who you're talking about. I've run into him a few times, though after the second he seems to have decided to avoid me. A fool like him was no match for a champion of sunlight!"

"Uh… huh." Hikaru figured this kid must be high as a kite. "Anyway, I fought him off. Guy really isn't that bright."

"No, no he is not. Say, you seem to be a capable guy. Perhaps you might be interested in working together?"

"What do you mean by that?"

He got a bit of a sour look. "As great as this place is, we seem to have way too many thugs. It could be worse, but it's still a problem. I just think we should watch each other's backs." His face went back to a light grin. "Jolly co-operation is a surefire route to success, after all."

Huh, Hikaru thought, is this place really that bad? "Alright, sure. Seems like a great idea."

"Excellent! Here's my number, you give me a call if you ever need backup, alright?"

"Sure thing Solaire." Maybe this guy's not so bad, thought Hikaru. The two spent the rest of lunch chatting, and a friendship began to bloom.

This was going to be an interesting year.

Authors Note: The bit after the fight with Bull was originally going to be part of chapter two, but it flowed well enough and chapter one was kind of short, so I decided I would add it on to this chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading this, I'm more than open to reviews. Also edited one of the times, officially deciding the bell schedule will be like the one at my school, but shifted ahead an hour.


	2. Chapter 2

**12:50 PM, Chemistry**

An old woman sat behind a desk at the front of the class, her face obscured by a hood she kept pulled over her head at all times. She spoke to the class in a raspy voice. "Class, please be seated. You may call me Quelana. First, let it be said how privileged you are to have me as your teacher, since I am probably the best chemist you will ever meet. Now then, some simple rules. While in the lab, you are to be wearing safety goggles at all times, as well as gloves. Both will be provided in the cabinet next to the door. I am not responsible if your foolish bungling results in you losing your fingers or your eyes melting. We will be working with dangerous substances, a thought you should keep in mind at all times, lest you do something stupid. There are likely some of you who are not paying attention to what I am saying. As such, I think a demonstration is in order. Please head through that door to the lab in an orderly fashion." After uprooting the class, Quelana walked over to one of the cabinets and took out two beakers filled with different liquids and a container to mix them in. "Now, watch carefully, and for God's sake don't put your fool head over the container." She quickly poured both the beakers into the container and took a large step back. In the blink of an eye, the liquids began to fizzle, and suddenly a cloud of fire burst from the top of the container, going a good 3 or 4 feet high. "This, students, is what happens if you are not careful. I guarantee, one of you would do something stupid enough to cause that, and then you would find yourself on fire. So follow my instructions, and try not to do anything to stupid."

Compared to Quelana's initial demonstration, the rest of the class was uneventful, a pattern that persisted for the rest of Hikaru's classes.

**3:30 PM, After School**

Tired from his long day, Hikaru began his journey home. His hopes for a peaceful day were dashed when he saw some kid with hair dyed gold getting beat up by a couple of thugs. The guy looked like he was from another school, since he was wearing a different uniform, but the thugs had the local look. As much as the kid was putting up a fight, with two on one like this, there was no way he could win. "Hey, you!" By this point, the thugs had the guy in a lock, and it was clear he wasn't going anywhere. "You back away right now or I will personally show you what happens to thugs like you!" Hikaru was already preparing to fight, tossing his jacket onto a nearby fence post.

"Listen you little punk," the thug holding the gold haired kid said, "we beat this guy, we can beaRGH!" The thug's sentence was immediately cut off when Goldenboy threw his head back and got the guy right in the face, breaking free from his grip.

"Hate to tell you, kid," Golden boy shouted, "but these two don't like peaceful resolution. Still, two on two is much better odds. C'mon, let's finish this!" And with that, Hikaru found himself roped into another fight.

Hikaru took a fighters stance, and one of the thugs split off to fight him. This guy wasn't as big as the Bull, but he clearly wasn't a pushover. "You're gonna regret the day you pissed off the Balder Knights, kid, assuming you live that long." Unlike Bull, this guy actually took on a decent stance, lowering his center of gravity and putting up a solid defense. Hikaru dodged a couple punches, before delivering one of his own to the thug's gut, only to have it blocked. However, Hikaru saw an opening that this guy hadn't considered too well, and immediately delivered a sweeping kick to the legs. It wasn't enough to knock the thug over, but it did get him of balance, which was all Hikaru needed. Without a moment's hesitation, Hikaru swung his fist at the guys face, followed by one last punch that had the thug on the ground groaning.

Meanwhile, Goldenboy took advantage of the recently evened odds to open a can of whoopass on his enemy. The thug threw a punch, only for Goldenboy to effortlessly sweep it to the side and retaliate with one of his own. He quickly ducked under the next one, raising up in a brutal uppercut to the thugs chin, which sent him sprawling.

"Fuck this," one of the thugs shouted, "these guys are insane! I'm getting the hell out of here!" Both picked themselves up off the ground and ran off as fast as they could.

The problem dealt with, Goldenboy went to give Hikaru a fist-bump. "Thanks for the save kid. Name's Lautrec. You?" He casually pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter he pulled from his pocket.

"Hikaru, and its fine. I wasn't just gonna let some thugs beat up some guy right in front of me, what kind of guy would do that?"

Lautrec took a long drag from his cigarette. "Yeah, well, I owe you one. But I'd watch my back if I were you. Those thugs were members of this gang, the Balder Knights. They aint to big, but they've got at least a dozen guys, and almost all of them attend this school here."

"Yeah, about that, what are you doing here? From your clothes, I'm guessing you're not a student."

"You'd be right about that. I'm from a nearby school, Carim High. As for what I'm doing here, well, that's my business. I'll see you around kid." And with that, Lautrec strolled off.

After reaching Firelink Plaza, Hikaru decided to relax for a while. Plenty of other students hung out here, so maybe he could meet some folks. Seeing a familiar pale figure, he wandered over in their direction. "Hey, you're Class Rep Oswald, right?"

Oswald looked up. "Oh, hey. Hikaru right? Something you wanted me to tell the school? Or perhaps to confess to some transgression? Or to accuse?" He let out a dry humorless laugh. Okay, Hikaru thought, this guy is giving off a bit of a creepy vibe.

"Uh, actually, just wanted to hang out. You cool with that?"

"Of course. Here, take a seat." He gestured to a spot next to him on the low wall he was sitting on.

Hikaru took the offered seat. "Hey, I found this note in the stairwell, looked like it was in Mr. Soapstone's handwriting. You got any idea what's up with that?"

"Ah yes, the infamous notes. Mr. Soapstone seems to leave them all over the school. Keep your eyes open, and I assure you you'll find more of them. In fact, apparently he even leaves them at places outside the school. A lot of it is just barely useful, but sometimes it can be good for a chuckle."

"You sound like you know this place pretty well for a freshman."

"Yes, well, my cousin went here shortly before me. And I have always had a good ear for gossip. Not that I would ever go spreading around things said to me in confidence. But word always gets around."

"Perhaps I could ask you about something else then. I got into a fight with a couple of members of this gang, the Balder Knights. How screwed am I?"

Oswald let out a light chuckle. "Well, it shouldn't be _too_ bad. However, I can assure you, they will retaliate. Most of them are passable fighters at best. The ones you have to watch out for are the leaders, a pair of twins who call themselves the Bell Brothers. Of course, survive their direct wrath, and they won't bother you further. They may be persistent, but they aren't _stupid_."

"I'm in for an interesting school year, aren't I?"

"That you are friend, that you are."

Authors notes: I think I did better than my last chapter. As usual, I am open to constructive criticism, suggestions, and comments. I hope you enjoy, and with any luck chapter 3 won't take too long.


	3. Chapter 3

**8:15 AM, April 6****th****, Courtyard**

Hikaru was, as far as he was concerned, a dead man walking. He might be a good fighter, but there was no way he could withstand a whole gang baring down on him. He'd have to watch his back for who knows how long. But what was he going to do…

"Hikaru! Over here!" Hikaru saw Solaire waving to him from the door. The guy looked a lot more normal with a shirt on, though the sun on his jacket attracted some strange looks. Hikaru wandered over to say hi.

"Hey there Solaire. How's it going?" Hikaru could not hide his weariness.

Solaire picked up Hikaru's non-verbal cues almost instantly. "What's the matter, Hikaru? You seem worried."

"Got into another fight yesterday, and apparently pissed off some local gang, the Balder Knights. Not looking forward to whatever they have in store for me."

"Ah, yes, it would seem you've made some enemies." Solaire wrapped an arm around Hikaru's shoulder. "Never fear, Solaire is here! I'll keep my phone on: you send me anything, and I'll come to your aid immediately."

Wow, Hikaru wondered, was this guy so loyal to somebody he just met? "Thanks, Solaire; that means a lot to me."

"It's no problem at all. Now then, I guess I'll see you at lunch. Until next time!"

**12:20 PM, lunch**

"It's really simple kid. You messed with our gang, so now we gotta make an example out of you. Hope you understand."

Hikaru was getting really sick of this. He was on his way to hang out with Solaire on the roof when a couple of kids who identified themselves as Balder Knights cornered him in the hall. He had quickly fired off a HELP to Solaire on his phone, but didn't know how long it would take for him to arrive.

"This time, you aint got Lautrec to help you. We're gonna enjoy feeding you your teeth." Hikaru tried to fight them off, but one of them managed to get behind him and get his arms in a lock. The other thug pulled a set of brass knuckles out of his pocket, and got to work beating the ever loving shit out for Hikaru. Just has his vision begun to blur, he could have sworn he heard someone running…

"PRAISE THE SUN!" Before anyone knew what was going on, Brass Knuckles found himself taking a dropkick straight to the face. Solaire, barely even sweating, proceeded to wheel around and punch the other thug right beneath the ribs, forcing him to release his grip on Hikaru, who awkwardly stumbled away. With his friend out of harm's way, Solaire wrapped his arms around the thugs waist and delivered a textbook German Suplex, dropping him right on top of the other thug. Seeing that they were both incapacitated, he immediately rushed to Hikaru's aid.

"Hikaru, speak to me! You okay."

Hikaru gave a weak cough and wiped some blood off his face. "I'm… I'm fine, really."

Solaire just gave him a funny look. "Bullshit. I'm impressed you're not coughing up blood. C'mon, we're heading to the infirmary. Let's move." Hikaru wrapped his arm around Solaire, and they were off.

"Nurse Rhea! We need your help!" A young woman in simple white clothes, probably in her late 30s, looked up from her desk, and her eyes went wide with shock.

"Heavens above, Solaire! What happened!? Here, let's get him to one of the beds. I'll get some bandages and ice." Hikaru was just barely conscious. His face was covered in cuts, and his chest was just one big bruise by this point.

"Found a couple of thugs beating him up. They're not gonna be a problem for a while, but someone should check on them." The way he talked, it sounded like this wasn't the first time.

"I don't know if I should chastise you for getting in fights, or praise you for saving this poor kid." Nurse Rhea talked while she worked, treating his injuries as much as she could. "Well, he should be fine; a lot of the damage is surface. It will hurt for a while, but he should recover quickly. What's his name?"

By this point, Hikaru had started to stir. "H…Hikaru. My name's Hikaru Sato." He tried to sit up.

"Oh no you don't," Rhea gave him a gentle push back down; "you're staying right where you are, understood?" Hikaru nodded, and laid back down. "Now, I need to go over paper work, you sit tight. I'll be nearby if you need anything."

Hikaru finally had a chance to look around. The infirmary was pretty standard, looked like it was decently stocked. It took him a moment, but he eventually noticed someone else crouched in the corner, on top of one of the beds, a female student with shock white hair, who seemed very intently staring at her feet. "H… hey there. My name's Hikaru. What's yours?"

The girl looked at him, and Hikaru noticed that her irises were red. He figured she must be an albino. She spoke in a soft voice, almost imperceptible if you weren't already listening to her. "I'm… Priscilla."

"Nice to meet you. If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

Priscilla raised a hand to her forehead. "Just… medical stuff. I'll be fine."

"Well, that's good. I think I'm gonna rest for a while." And with that, Hikaru drifted into blissful unconsciousness.

**3:45 PM, Behind the School**

"So, let me get this straight. We send a couple of our most ruthless after this punk, and they're found lying unconscious in the hallway." Hidari slammed his fist into the wall. "ARE YOU ALL STUPID OR SOMETHING!? HOW CAN THIS ONE KID BE GIVING YOU SO MUCH FUCKING TROUBLE!?"

"Calm down, Hidari. Don't let this punk rile you up so much. We'll beat the shit out of him, and then he won't be an issue. Besides, I heard he didn't walk away from that fight to well either." Migi had always been a lot more stable than his brother.

Hidari and Migi Bell had always been big for their age, towering over most students. Even without their size, they were still amazingly skilled fighters. No one could remember the last time the two of them had lost a fight. And now they had their sights set on Hikaru.

He was going to have an interesting time.


	4. Chapter 4

**8:25 AM, April 7****th****, Homeroom**

Hikaru had just reached his seat, still with 5 minutes to spare, when he noticed an orange sticky note on his desk. _Brothers after school_, it read. Hikaru got up and went to talk with Mr. Soapstone about the note. "Excuse me sir? This note I found in my desk, it looks like it was done in your handwriting. Was it you who left it there?"

Mr. Soapstone starred into space for a moment, lost in thought, but responded just as soon as Hikaru was about to try asking again. "I… haven't the foggiest of what you're talking about. Are you alright? I heard you took a real beating the other day."

Hikaru was kind of impressed that Mr. Soapstone had heard. He didn't seem like the type to keep an ear to the ground. "I'm fine sir, thanks for the concern. Just a few bruises. Do you have any idea who wrote the note?"

"What note?" He looked genuinely confused.

"The note on my desk."

"What about it?"

"Do you know who wrote it?"

"Wrote what?"

Hikaru just starred at the man for a moment. Either he was incredibly forgetful, or he was an amazing liar. Or maybe both. "…Never mind. Have a nice day."

"Of course, you too."

Much as he tried to ignore it, Hikaru couldn't help but wondered just how much Mr. Soapstone really knew.

**12:20, Lunch**

Solaire listened with rapt attention as Hikaru recounted this morning's events. "Hmm, that does seem quite interesting. Do you think the Bell Brothers will really show up after school?"

"I don't know. Probably?" Hikaru let out a heavy sigh. "This is my third day of high school; I shouldn't have to be worrying about this."

Solaire shrugged. "There's a lot that we shouldn't have to worry about, but that doesn't change the situation at hand. Well, if it makes you feel better, I'll stick with you the moment class lets out."

Hikaru got up and dusted off his pants. "Thanks Solaire, that means a ton to me. I'm gonna head inside, see you later." Solaire just gave a curt nod and returned to his sunbathing.

Hikaru was just about to head inside when he saw a note on the wall by the door, same handwriting as the last two. Written clearly, and outlined for good measure, was a simple message: _Lautrec's number: 438-2368_. Deciding it was worth a shot, Hikaru pulled out his phone and dialed the number. Almost instantly, someone on the other end picked up.

"Who are you and how the hell did you get this number?" It was Lautrec!

"Lautrec, its Hikaru. You know that favor you owe me?"

Lautrec seemed genuinely caught off guard. "Hikaru? Who gave you this number?"

Hikaru just shrugged. "I found it on a note. Now about that favor."

Lautrec sighed loudly. "Fine, fine. Well, what is it?"

"Meet me at Lordran High right after school. I'm almost certain the Bell Brothers are gonna show, and from what I've heard, I need all the help I can get."

"Yeah, I can manage that. I'm down at Firelink Plaza right now, I'll be there at 3:30; you can count on that." A click, and Lautrec was gone. Hikaru wasn't sure how things were gonna work out, but by this point, all he could do was hope.

**3:30 PM, After School**

Hikaru and Solaire meandered towards the main door of the school, dreading the coming confrontation. Somehow, word had spread about what was going on, so all the students gave them a wide berth and avoided eye contact.

Solaire just gave Hikaru a slap on a back. "Don't worry, we'll win this, then your troubles will be over!" He let out a hearty laugh, and Hikaru, for the life of him, had no idea if Solaire was being genuine or not. As they cleared the door, they saw Lautrec leaning against a tree while smoking a cigarette.

Hikaru was a little surprised, having not been certain if Lautrec would even show. "Lautrec, over here!"

Lautrec began to wander over, and Hikaru couldn't help but draw comparisons to Moses parting the Red Sea as the students naturally but purposefully got out of his way. "Right, I'm here. I help you with these Bell Brothers and we're square, got it?"

Hikaru just shrugged. "If we're going with pure honesty, I wasn't even sure you would show up."

Lautrec actually seemed offended at that. "A favor for a favor, that's how it works! Now let's find these guys and-"

A new voice cut off whatever Lautrec was about to say. "Lautrec, my boy, you might want to consider how you end that sentence." Standing taller than any other student in the courtyard, not that were any stupid enough to get near him, was Migi. In addition to his school uniform was a red headband, but that isn't what caught Hikaru's eye. No, the thing Hikaru saw was the wooden sword he had slung over his shoulder. He saw Hikaru's stare and just smirked and began pacing in a wide circle around them, keeping his distance. "I see you're not used to weapons. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting you to bring company. But that's alright, it won't really change anything. But where are my manners? Name's Migi, Migi Bell. I figure you know who I am, and why I'm here."

Hikaru couldn't help but shake slightly. The last few guys he fought had been threatening on their own, but this guy? This guy was scary.

This guy was dangerous.

Solaire's voice pulled Hikaru back to the present. "If I might be so bold, I was hoping we could fight elsewhere. All these students, someone might get hurt."

Migi's laugh was a cold and merciless one. "Oh no, we're staying right here. I want everyone to see just what happens when you fuck with our gang. Still, fighting when things are cramped is no fun. Allright, everyone who isn't getting their face kicked in, give us some space!" By this point, some of the students had turned to watch, though nobody dared get close. Students made sure to leave plenty of room for the makeshift arena. "Good. Now then, Hidari! Get over here!"

On cue, Hidari stepped from the shadows, a rugged baseball bat slung over his shoulder. While he lacked the headband, he did have an eyepatch over his right eye, with a matching scar that made it clear it wasn't just for effect. "About fucking time. I was getting bored watching you boast. You always were one for a show. So, three of them, aye? Dibs on Solaire, bastard's a huge pain in the ass." Hikaru swung the bat around, gripping it tightly in both hands.

Migi just grinned as he fell into a fighting stance. "Guess that leaves you two to me. Heh, with these odds, I might just break a sweat." Without hesitation, the two brothers dashed forward with unusual speed for someone their size, closing the gap in an instant.

True to his goal, Hidari charged straight at Solaire, swinging his bat in a merciless barrage of blows, as Solaire tried his best to dodge most of them and block those he couldn't. Hidari didn't seem intent on hurting Solaire so much as simply breaking his guard. He saw an opening when a Solaire blocked a particularly savage blow, knocking him off balance. Hidari struck almost instantly, swinging his bat around and catching Solaire, sending him sprawling.

Hikaru and Lautrec weren't fairing much better. Migi had made a beeline for Hikaru, able to tell at a glance that he wasn't quite as experienced as Lautrec. Instead of Hidari's relentess flurry, Migi attempted a single crushing blow, attempting to bring his wooden sword down on Hikaru's head. Hikaru quickly raised his hands and caught the weapon, realizing his mistake only at the last moment. With Hikaru preoccupied, Migi smashed his knee straight into Hikaru's gut, knocking the wind right out of him. Lautrec tried to strike Migi while his attention was elsewhere, but he immediately switched to a one handed grip on the sword, while using the other to catch Lautrec's punch. The two of them locked into a grapple, neither bothering to think about what was going on around them.

Migi made the mistake of thinking Hikaru was down for the count, which left him wide open. still desperately gasping for breath, Hikaru tried to ram into Migi's side. It wasn't enough to take him down, but it did break his focus for a moment, and a moment was all Lautrec needed. Seizing his opponents sudden weakness, Lautrec gained control of the grapple and sent Migi to the ground, keeping Migi pinned with his knees while he continued beating him.

To Hidari's credit, he managed to get in quite a few good kicks on a downed Solaire before things went horribly wrong. With some of his last remaining strength, Solaire grabbed Hidari's leg mid kick and pulled him down. "SUNLIGHT!" As he spoke, Solaire rose up, combining the force of his ascent with his foes decent to deliver a powerful pointed blow to Hidari's solar plexus. "SPEAR!" Hidari fell to the ground, barely able to breath. Solaire wasn't unharmed himself, having taken many kicks before mustering the needed strength for that move. "You'll live, though I wouldn't struggle too much right now, you'll just waste your breath."

Solaire went over to Lautrec and pulled him off of Migi, Hikaru still doubled over, but not in any immediate danger. "Enough. He's down, and he certainly isn't getting up any time soon." Migi's face was covered with cuts, and he was bleeding profusely from the nose. "Hikaru, do you think you'll be fine?"

Hikaru just smiled and gave a thumbs up, though by this point at least his breathing had stabilized.

"Hikaru, you head home. I know from experience that Nurse Rhea usual stays here at least an hour after school has ended. Me and Lautrec will take these men to the infirmary." He coupled this with an intense stare at Lautrec. "Won't we, Lautrec?"

A noncommittal grunt was his only response, but Lautrec begrudgingly lifted Hidari off the ground. "After this, I don't owe you any more favors. Still… keep in touch." The two of them hauled the unconscious gang leaders inside, and Hikaru began his journey home.

What an interesting day.

Authors Notes: The longest chapter so far. It was honestly a lot of fun to write. I'm hoping people can give me feedback as to the story I'm telling and how well I tell it, but hearing anything at all is nice. Till next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**1:00 PM, April 12****th****, Chemistry**

Hikaru focused on the work Quelana had given them, thankful that the day had not had any conflict so far. He checked in with Solaire on the way in the morning after the fight, confirming that he was alright. Apparently Rhea had taken one look at the Bell Brothers, gave Solaire a glare that could shatter lesser men, and got to work treating their injuries. He figured that was the end of his troubles with gangs, at least for now. Maybe he could have a half decent school life now. He was broken from his thoughts by Quelana's voice.

"Hikaru, we seem to be missing some supplies. Here, this is a list of what we need; go down to the storage closet at the end of the hall. And for goodness sakes, try not to get into a fight." Hikaru dutifully took the list, repressing a sigh until he was out of the class. He supposed concern from his teachers was reasonable, but that didn't make it less annoying. He looked at the list, nothing much, but it looked like they were about to get to work on a lab. Reaching the end of the hall, he walked into the storage closet, which was oddly spacious all things considered. While searching for what he needed, he heard footsteps behind him, and turned to look.

A female student sauntered out of the shadows, and while Hikaru prided himself on being a gentleman, she made it difficult not to stare. She had hiked up her skirt to reveal as much skin as she could while still having a sliver of modesty, and had rolled up the bottom of her top to show off her midriff, with the top few buttons undone. This was a girl who was very much trying to grasp everyone's attention. It took Hikaru a few moments to recognize her, possibly because it took some time to actually look at her face, which was beautifully framed with long ebony hair, smoking a cigarette, and he realized he had seen her a few times around school. She had a look not quite of contempt or malice, but like she was staring at someone who was inherently inferior to herself. When she spoke, it was in a voice that had most likely turn knees to rubber with a few choice words, but her scorn was unmistakeable. "Give me your wallet. Now."

Hikaru couldn't help but sigh. "Am I seriously being mugged in the storage closet by the hottest girl at school?"

She just smirked. "Flattery won't help. Consider it charity if you want, but the result's the same. Wallet, now." She extended her hand. "And no funny business. I heard what you did to the Bell Brothers. Not that I care about them, but I know you can do good in a fight. Believe me, bad as they were, I'm worse."

"Look… sorry, I'm drawing a blank; what's your name?" Ah, negotiating. An old standby, and not one that always worked, but Hikaru felt it important to at least try.

"Quelaag." She rested her other hand on her hip. "Kind of don't want to do this all day, so get your wallet out while you plead for mercy."

Hikaru just kept his hands in the air in front of him. "Thanks. Look, Quelaag, I'm not looking for any trouble. How about I just get what I came for and leave. I won't even tell anybody you're here."

Well, that pissed her off. "Listen, you worm. I'm leaving here with your wallet, which I know you have on you. All that you can change is whether you leave here in one piece. Now, I'll ask nice one more time. Give me your wallet, or I'll take it."

Hikaru lowered his arms. While he wasn't in a fighter's stance, he could be at any moment. "Sorry, but I'm kind of attached to it. So the answer's no."

Quelaag was furious, but as she reached for something in her pocket, and familiar voice cut through. "THAT IS ENOUGH!" Quelana was standing there in the door way, and you could feel the anger radiating off of her. She homed in on Quelaag like a missile. "Quelaag. Class. Now. We'll talk later." Quelaag muttered something under her breath, and I think I saw a spider tattoo at the base of her spine as she walked off. "And for God's sake, cover yourself." Quelaag huffed and adjusted her attire accordingly. Quelana shifted her attention to Hikaru. "I would scold you, but this isn't your fault. Instead, let me apologize for my niece's behavior. She's tried the same thing on a few other students. I wish I could put an end to it, but I can't be everywhere."

Hikaru was taken aback. "Wait, Quelaag's your niece?"

Quelana just sighed. "Yes, she is. She's a few years older than you, and she thinks any underclassmen are worth less to her than the dirt on her shoes, with almost no exceptions. I don't care that you beat the Bell Brothers, she cheats. I'm just glad I thought to check on you."

"Why, what does she do?"

"You saw her go for something in her pocket? Spray paint. She was going to turn her own homemade flamethrower on you. She wouldn't kill you, but you'd walk away with serious burns."

Hikaru was pretty startled. "Uh, no offense intended, but your niece seems a bit…"

"Bloodthirsty?"

"…yeah."

"Again, I wish I could stop her, but there's only so much I can do. Now, back to class. Since I'm here, I'll get the supplies myself."

**3:30 pm, After school**

Hikaru went over to Oswald the moment class ended. "Hey, Oswald, got a sec?"

Oswald just looked at him with that same grin he always kept. It was kind of unsettling. "Sure thing, Hikaru, what do you need?"

Hikaru slid into a seat right next to him. "Wanted to ask you about a student. Quelaag, our chemistry teacher's niece. Ran into her earlier today."

Oswald chuckled. "You, my friend, are inordinately good at getting into fights with unpleasant people. Well, I suppose I'll tell you what I know. Quelaag herself doesn't have a gang, preferring to do things her own way. Mostly, she's infamous for pulling out an impromptu flamethrower when she's fighting and there isn't a teacher around. People disagree on the reason for her style of dress. Some figure it's a ploy to catch people off guard. Others, while they won't say it out loud, figure she… has other ways of making money than just stealing wallets." He tilted his head down while maintaining eye contact. "If you tell her I said that, I swear I will make your life miserable."

Hikaru just nodded. "Of course. Anything else I should know?"

Oswald shrugged. "About Quelaag herself? No. But don't say or do anything that might be taken as acting against her sister, or half the school will come down on you like a ton of bricks."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Sister?"

Oswald leaned back. "A frail girl called Quelaan, though if you hear people talking about the Fair Lady, they mean her. She's been in pretty poor health since she was a kid, and honestly has that aura about her that just makes you want to give her a big old hug and make her a cup of hot chocolate. I didn't think you would mess with her, but it seemed prudent to mention it."

Hikaru got up from his seat. "Thanks for the heads up. Well, I have to get to the go home club, I'll see you later."

Hikaru ran into Solaire in the courtyard. "Solaire, can I get your advice?"

Solaire had been staring off into space, but was brought down to earth when he heard Hikaru. "Sure thing. What do you need?"

"I think I'm going to wind up fighting against somebody that uses a flamethrower. I know it sounds weird, but do you have any suggestions?"

"A flamethrower? You're in some serious trouble then. The only real advice against something like that is don't get hit. You can't block fire, so stay out of range. Depending on how confident you are, you could try getting close enough that they can't use it without hurting themselves. Hey, come by the Sunlight Café sometime. It's not too far from here. I spend a lot of time there, and the owner lets me train on the roof. We can hang out, and maybe I can teach you some tricks."

Hikaru relaxed and smiled warmly. "Thanks Solaire, that sounds great."


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors note:** Sorry about the delay. Real life got in the way, first with extended time out of town, than school starting up. I'm still getting back on my feet, but I'm at least in a place where I can write more now. I'm considering changing the title to Dark Schools, let me know your opinion in the review section.

**7:30 AM, April 12****th****, Courtyard**

Normally, seeing a familiar face brightened Hikaru's mood. Today he realized that it was because he liked the people he saw. As such, his mood plummeted the moment he laid eyes on Quelaag. She beckoned for him to come over. The courtyard had enough people in it that he figured she wouldn't be reckless enough to try anything.

"You. I know you can fight, so here's what we're gonna do. You, me, behind the school, five minutes. We solve this the old fashioned way. I feel generous today, so I won't even set you on fire."

Hikaru was taken aback by the sheer audacity of her offer. "Why the hell would I agree to that? Like I said last time, I don't want to fight you."

She gave him an evil grin. "Your other option is to wait for me to inevitably ambush you and deliver a no holds barred beatdown, flamethrower included. Can't guarantee nobody would get hurt."

They must have stared at each other, completely unflinching, for a whole minute. "Fine. See you in five minutes." He hated this. He didn't like scheduling a fight. It meant things were thought out, cold and calculated, instead of passions running to hot in the spur of the moment. Still, it was either a fair fight now, or an ambush later.

**7:35, Behind the School**

Hikaru showed up to find Quelaag already waiting for him. She tossed the cigarette she had been smoking to the ground and stomped on it. "So you showed. I was half expecting you to pussy out and run away."

Hikaru fell into a loose stance, still not fully committed, but ready to act. "You said fair fight, so I'm assuming you had some rules in mind."

She gave him that same evil grin that was slowly becoming a permanent fixture on her face. "Right. No weapons. No aiming for the groin. No going for the eyes, but the face as a whole is fair game. First to be incapacitated for 10 seconds or to surrender loses"

Hikaru knew there was no avoiding this, so he settled into a more concrete stance. "What are the stakes?"

"Nothing. I just want to know which of us is stronger. Still, if by some miracle you win, I probably won't bother you for the foreseeable future. I'm not that stupid, after all." She took a different stance from Hikaru, and seemed to favor mobility over stability.

Unsurprisingly, it was Quelaag who threw the first punch. She moved to close the distance between them, and swung for the left side of Hikaru's face. It was an obvious move, and Hikaru was easily able to move in time to block it.

But the hit never came. Instead, as he moved to block, she pulled back and delivered a sweeping kick to his legs. After upsetting his balance, she spun the other way and got him in the chest with another kick. Hikaru was able to recover, but he was a bit woozy. She might not look it, but this girl hit like a freight train. He threw out a punch, only for her to duck beneath it and hit him right in the gut. He tried a low kick, but she deftly moved out of the way, than stomped on his foot to pin him in place as she threw another punch. Unable to react properly, he fell onto his back. She planted her foot on his chest and pressed down. "Give up kid. I've been at this longer than you, and you're not the first punk I've had to put in his place. So am I gonna have to knock you out, or are you going to surrender?"

Hikaru struggled against her. "Never… going… to… quit…"

"Shame. Sorry kid, but I have a reputation to maintain." Using the foot she had on his chest as a pivot point, she swung around and delivered a swift kick to the side of his head. Hikaru's vision swam for a moment, than he drifted into unconsciousness.

**9:00 AM, Infirmary**

Hikaru stirred from unconsciousness. He had a bandage around his head, and he felt like he had just run headlong into a train. Nurse Rhea looked up from her desk at the sound of movement. "Thank God you're awake. You've been drifting in and out of consciousness for the past hour and a half. You really got on someone's bad side, didn't you?"

Hikaru reached up to touch his head, than immediately regretted the decision. "Uhg… Yeah, I did."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Rhea just sighed and folded her arms. "Well, I can't actually force you to tell me anything. Just… stay safe. You aren't hurt too bad. I want to keep you under observation for a little bit, and then you can head back to class if you want, or you can head home."

"I think I'll stay; thanks. Don't want to miss anything," He also didn't want to miss a chance to train with Solaire later.

"Alright, but take it easy. Stay out of fights for a little while at the very least. I swear, you and Solaire are determined to rush headlong into danger." She continued mumbling under her breath as she returned to the paperwork on her desk.

**12:15 PM, Lunch**

Hikaru decided to try and meet some new people today, so when he saw a girl he recognized from class, he took a seat across from her.

"Hi there, my name's Hikaru. We have class together with Mr. Soapstone, right?" He bowed slightly in greeting.

The girl, a small student with blonde hair, looked up from her meal. After staring at him for a moment, she bowed as well, her face passive the whole while.

"You'll have to forgive me, I'm afraid I don't know your name."

Instead of saying anything, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her student ID. In addition to a picture of her, with the same passive face as she had now, was her name.

"Anastasia huh? Nice to meet you. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you're not going to actually say anything."

She nodded apologetically.

A pair of hands clasped Hikaru's shoulders. "My my, look who it is."

Hikaru turned his head to see Lautrec standing behind him. "Lautrec. Uh, why are you at my school?"

Lautrec was picking something out of his teeth. "Got bored, decided to go for a change of scenery. Ah, Anastasia! How nice to see you. Staying out of trouble?"

Anastasia seemed to visibly shrink, and refused to meet his eyes. He could have sworn he saw a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Now then," Lautrec said as he slid into a seat next to her, "how are things with my favorite freshman?"

"Got my ass kicked earlier, still kind of recuperating." He rubbed at his head. It didn't hurt as much now, though it certainly wasn't pleasant.

"Hmm, that sucks. Well, hopefully that won't be a regular feature in your life." He let out a low chuckle. He looked up, and apparently something caught his eye, because he quickly rose from his seat. "Well, I should get going. Good luck and all that." And with that he hurried away.

"What a strange guy."

Anastasia just nodded.


End file.
